Blogging the Latino Workforce

The Glass Ceiling and the “boys”

I can appreciate Hugo Schwyser’s thoughts here regarding the “old boys’ network (OBN).” Being very fair-skinned, many assume I’m not Latino. Hence, my interactions with some corporate peers early in my career provided many “fly on the wall” moments. It was a fascinating opportunity. Once the secret was out so were the exclusive happy hour and dinner invitations.

Whether they’re found in corporations or athletic departments or churches, Old Boys’ Networks often tend to be characterized by three things: an insistence on intense loyalty to the organization, a disdain for outsiders, and a systematic process by which younger men (but rarely young women) are groomed by older ones for future leadership.